Olympic Boycott on the Horizon?

Since I was just a little girl, I have loved watching the Olympics. There is just something exciting about many countries of the world coming together peacefully to compete against each other. I am just old enough to have a very dim, but frightening memory of the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany. I remember watching the grainy images of people crawling on the ground, and I remember my parents were concerned about the Jewish American athletes; especially Mark Spitz. I am definitely old enough to remember the 1980 Olympics that the United States decided to boycott. I was fourteen, and looking forward to the spectacle and pomp of the event that was to take place in Moscow, but because of the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan, our country did not participate. It was a bitter disappointment. So here we are, in 2008, awaiting the Games again, and I am wondering if that same sort of disappointment is in store for us again. Already with the trouble the flame is having getting through London, and now the extinguishing of the torch several times in Paris, it seems like there might be a foreshadowing of what we are in store for this summer. China was perhaps a poor choice of countries to host the big event, but we can't go back and have a do-over. With the behavior in Tibet, I'm not at all certain that the United States should participate. With all the unrest, could a 2008 boycott of the Olympics be on the horizon?

Safe Toys for Christmas

I have recently been doing a little research on some of the toys and electronics my children are interested in receiving for Christmas. Let me tell you, what I have learned is that researching for information and searching for safe toys feels like an impossible task. My biggest problem is that my children are older. They range in age from 15 to 6. They still want toys and games for Christmas, but all the information out there is for infant and toddler toys. Are older children immune to the effects of lead, arsenic, and all the other heinous chemicals the Chinese are trying to poison us with? My youngest daughter wants a dollhouse. I have been hardpressed to find anything that has proof that the wooden ones don't have lead based paint and that the plastic ones are safe. My eight year old wants some Hannah Montana stuff--also a concern. My older ones want games and electronics, but who is to say that they are safe? I decided earlier this year that I would try not to purchase anything with a "made in China" stamp on it. It seems that everything is made in China or has parts that are made in China. It has been an impossible goal to set for myself. The other thing that is frustrating is that American made toys are few and very limited in scope. Not only are American toys hard to find, they are also terribly expensive! So, what am I to do? I don't have a solution yet, but if I come up with one, I'll let you know~

The Chinese Are Trying to Kill Us; Boycott!

Okay, I've just about had it with the products from China that are toxic. I truly believe they are trying to kill us one toy at a time. Yesterday, I read in the newspaper about the Aqua Dots toys that are poison. My youngest daughter just got some for her birthday and was so excited because she was going to ask for more of the toy for Christmas. Last night I had to throw all of the stuff away. We have also had to deal with the Mattel toys that were said to have lead paint. Let's see, we had the Barbie, the Polly Pocket and lots of Hot Wheels cars. My kids are getting very discouraged and disheartened about the goodness of the world and the people we all rely on. While I entitled this post the Chinese are trying to kill us, a lot of the blame lies with the companies such as Mattel who make their products as cheaply as possible so they can make a higher profit. Shame on them for not checking on the production of their toys and testing and requiring that certain standards be met. I have had it with these companies. I am mad now, and you all know what happens when a housewife gets mad! I told my kids last night that that was the last straw. I will be carefully reading labels on all the items they want and if some toy or gadget is made in China, forget it. I am purging my house of all things Chinese. I have lost any trust I had in the toy manufacturers. I challenge all of you who will be buying toys or gadgets this year for Christmas or other gift giving to read the label and if it says "made in China" throw it back on the shelf. The big companies won't do much to make changes on their own, but if we consumers quit buying things from China, they might get the message. We want our kids to be playing with things that aren't going to kill them. Please join me in my boycott of all things made in China!